This disclosure relates generally to apparatus for producing documents. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to apparatus for producing dimensional documents.
In one conventional method of producing dimensional documents having custom printing and/or images, the printing and/or images are printed on stock, a two-dimensional document is then cut from the stock using a flat or rotary die system, and the two-dimensional document is then folded and glued to form a 3-D dimensional document. In this method, the printing may be performed on a thin stock that is later glued to a heavier weight stock to provide greater stability and strength.
In another conventional method, the printing and/or images are printed on pre-cut stock to form a two-dimensional document, and the two-dimensional document is then folded and glued to form a 3-D dimensional document. In this method, the printing is generally performed on a heavier weight stock, requiring printing apparatus that can handle such stock. In addition, the pre-cut stock is generally more expensive, must be inventoried, and this method limits the flexibility of the printer in terms of the sizes and designs that can be produced.
Conventional systems for producing dimensional documents, such as megaphones, small boxes, photo-geo-domes, and the like, having custom printing and images on them are generally complex and expensive. For example, they may include a printing system, a coating system and a die-cutting system all connected to automatically perform these operations in sequence. Those conventional systems that are less complex and/or less expensive only cut one sheet of material at a time, and are therefore very labor intensive. To satisfy the needs of smaller print shops, a low-cost system that can automate the feed-on and feed-off operations to minimize labor overhead is required.